In 1868, Charlotte Beckerson gave birth to an illegitimate child.  She had him baptized under the name Thomas Coleman Beckerson. Her brother-in-law was Thomas Coleman. Is there a connection?

Charles Oxborough

Born: 1851 in Beccles, Suffolk County, England

Father: William Oxborough (1822 to 1900)
Mother: Emily Blowers (1829 to 1901)

Spouse: Mary Elizabeth Woodhouse (1856 to 1933)

Married: 1878 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England

Children:

Emily Jane Oxborough (14 MAY 1881 to 1969)
Charlotte Eliza Oxborough (1884 to 1906)
Maria Rose Oxborough (1887 to Unknown)
Annie Elizabeth Oxborough (29 JUN 1889 to 1970)
Amy Octavia Oxborough (1891 to 1950)
James William Oxborough (1893 to 1910)
John Richard Oxborough (1895 to 1965)
Charles Woodhouse Oxborough (2 MAR 1897 to 1972)

Died: 1898 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England

Timeline:

1861 Beccles, Suffolk County, England
1878 Marriage to Mary
1881 Birth of daughter, Emily
1881 Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England
1884 Birth of daughter, Charlotte
1887 Birth of daughter, Maria
1889 Birth of daughter, Annie
1891 Birth of daughter, Amy
1893 Birth of son, James
1895 Birth of son, John
1897 Birth of son, Charles
1898 Death and Burial

Occupation: copper works furnaceman (1881)

Records:

1861 and 1881 England Census Records
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915

Variations of Surname: none

Daughters:

Emily Jane Oxborough:

Emily was born on 14 MAY 1881 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. She died in 1969 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Emily married James Gray in 1901 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. Three known children were born to this marriage:

Charles Kingston Gray (1902)
Richard Woodhouse Gray (1905)
George William Gray (1908)

James Gray was born in 1881 in South Shields, Durham County, England. I do not know when James died.

Charlotte Eliza Oxborough:

Charlotte was born in 1884 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. She died in 1906 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland County, England. Charlotte was 22 years old when she died.

Charlotte married David Nairn Fuller in 1903 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

David Nairn Fuller was born in 1879 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. He died in 1953 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Maria Rose Oxborough:

Maria was born in 1887 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. She died in 1964 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland County, England.

Maria went by her middle name of Rose.

Rose married James Stephen Porter Elliott in 1906 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. Eleven known children were born to this marriage. The five oldest children were born in Willington Quay. The other children were born in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Ann Wallace Elliott (1908)
Sarah Ann Elliott (1909)
James Elliott (1911)
Richard Elliott (1912)
Charles Oxborough Elliott (1914)
Edward Elliott (1916)
Maria Rose Elliott (1918)
William Henry Elliott (1920)
John W D Elliott (1922)
Florence T Elliott (1925)
Mary Elizabeth Oxborough Elliott (1927)

James Stephen Porter Elliott was born on 26 JUL 1885 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. He died in 1966 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Annie Elizabeth Oxborough:

Annie was born on 29 JUN 1889 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. She died in 1970 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Annie married Ephraim Jarvis Wilson in 1912 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. Seven known children were born to this marriage:

Dorothy A Wilson (1913)
Ephraim J Wilson (1916)
William Wilson (1917)
Mary A Wilson (1920)
Charlotte Wilson (1922)
Stephen Wilson (1924)
Sarah L Wilson (1927)

Ephraim Jarvis Wilson was born in 1884 in Cambois, Northumberland County, England. He died in 1939 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Amy Octavia Oxborough:

Amy was born in 1891 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. She died in 1950 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Amy married Stephen Dixon in 1917 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. One known child was born to this marriage:

Amy O Dixon (1919)

Stephen Dixon was born in 1892. His birthplace is unknown. He died in 1964 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Spouse:

Mary Elizabeth Woodhouse:

Mary was born in 1856 in Weybourne, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1933 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Mary’s father was Richard Woodhouse. He was born in 1828 in Weybourne, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1919 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Mary’s mother was Elizabeth Harold Rowland. She was born on 19 FEB 1832 in Norwich, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1860 in Weybourne, Norfolk County, England.

Mary had three brothers and sisters. The children were all born in Weybourne.

Sarah A Woodhouse (1852)
Dick Woodhouse (1858)
Austin William Woodhouse (1859)

Mary’s Father:

Richard Woodhouse:

After Elizabeth died, Richard married Sarah Ann Beckerson on 26 MAR 1861 in Weybourne, Norfolk County, England. Five known children were born to this marriage. The four oldest children were born in Weybourne. The youngest child was born in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Charlotte Woodhouse (1862)
Jane Woodhouse (1865)
George Woodhouse (1867)
Anna Woodhouse (1870)
Henry Woodhouse (1872)

Sarah Ann Beckerson was born in 1840 in Knapton, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1877 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Sarah had one child out of wedlock. William was born at the Erpingham Union Workhouse in West Beckham, Norfolk, England.

William Beckerson (1857)

After Sarah died, Richard married her sister, Charlotte Beckerson, in 1878 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Charlotte Beckerson was born in 1846 in Knapton, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1925 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Charlotte had one child out of wedlock:

Thomas Coleman Beckerson

Thomas was born in 1868 in Lowestoft, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1934 in Willington Quay, Northumberland County, England.

Who was Thomas Coleman Beckerson’s father?

Thomas’ father is unknown. Yet, the name Coleman has ties with the Beckerson family.

Charlotte’s sister, Jane Beckerson, had married Thomas Swatman Coleman in 1861 in Lowestoft, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Jane Beckerson was born in 1843 in Knapton, Norfolk County, England. Her death date is unknown.

Thomas Swatman Coleman was born in 1824 in Lowestoft, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1908 in Lowestoft, Suffolk County, England.

Why did Charlotte name her son Thomas Coleman Beckerson? I can think of two possible scenarios.

The 1871 England census shows that Charlotte’s son was living with Jane and Thomas Coleman. He was listed as their nephew.

As Jane and Thomas were childless, they may have decided to adopt Charlotte’s son. Charlotte could have decided on the name Thomas Coleman to honor her brother-in-law.

The other scenario would be that Charlotte and Thomas had an affair. She may have decided to name her son after the man who was his biological father.

If there are any descendants of these families that have the answer, please email me at dlwakenight@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message in the Comments Section of this post.

Mary’s Mother:

Elizabeth Harold Rowland:

Elizabeth was born out of wedlock to Sarah Rowland. She was baptized on 26 FEB 1832 at Saint Etheldreda’s Church in Norwich, Norfolk County, England.

Mary’s Maternal Grandmother:

Sarah Rowland was born in 1812 in Felbrigg, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1852 in Weybourne, Norfolk County, England. She was 40 years old when she died.

Sarah did not marry Elizabeth’s father. Elizabeth’s baptism record describes Philip as a surgeon. And, as Sarah was merely a servant, I am sure his family disproved of Philip marrying her.

Sarah married John Case on 23 JAN 1837 in St Paul, Norwich, Norfolk County, England. Three known children were born to this marriage. All the children were born in Norfolk County, England.

Frances Barbara Case (1841 Alby)
Richard Case (1843 Kelling)
Emma Mary Case (1848 Weybourne)

John Case was born in1807 in Stratton Strawless, Norfolk County, England. He died in 1892 in Salthouse, Norfolk County, England.

Mary’s Biological Grandfather:

Philip Harold was born on 11 MAR 1789 in Thetford, Norfolk County, England. He died on 8 MAR 1832 in Holt, Norfolk County, England. Philip was 42 years old when he died.

Philip had previously married Susannah Davy on 27 FEB 1815 in Holt, Norfolk County, England. Five known children were born to this marriage:

Edward Charles Harold (1816)
Arthur Harold (1817)
Eliza Hooper Harold (1818 to 1826)
Charles Rising Harold (1822)
Herbert Hugh Harold (1823 to 1824)

Susannah Davy was born on 14 AUG 1786 in Wells Next The Sea, Norfolk County, England. He died on 15 JUL 1828 in Holt, Norfolk County, England.

Notes:

The surname, Oxborough, originated in Norfolk County, England. It appears in church registers as early as the mid-16th Century. As the world population grew, these Oxborough ancestors moved to other counties in England. By the late 19th Century, some had immigrated to Canada and Australia.

Creating Your Family Tree:

Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:

Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for vital records.

Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory passed down from generation to generation.

Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.

When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. Records should include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestors.

If you have a unique surname, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are other websites on the internet for countries like Italy and Germany.

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty. They would then move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline with that famous person.

There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!